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I recently planted my first garden. To me, the world of greenthumbery is a thrilling, endless place of hope and contemplation. I feel so giddy thinking about it that I have to run up and down the stairs to burn energy. It wasn’t always like this. I used to wilt plants just by looking at them, and it baffled me how people wasted their Sundays (and hard earned paychecks) in yards and nursery stores. I’m now officially one of those people. I constantly check out other people’s yards and ask for pointers. I borrow gardening books from the library and have resolved to save my pennies for flowerpots. It’s a lot of work, but nothing is as purely peaceful as a garden.

Ted and Ann Schnormeier have nine of them. On 75 acres. And once a year for a few days in June, they open Schnormeier Gardens to the public for free to share their love of greenery with all who care to experience it. Located at their Frank LlyodWright-inspired home in Gambier, Ohio, the gardens began in 1996. They draw deep inspiration from Asian culture and feature a Japanese teahouse, Chinesepavilion, bridges, waterfalls, ponds, rock walls, lotus, water lilies, rare conifers, and more than 50 sculptures. This year’s open house ended yesterday.